2020 Gold Proof 50p Coin – Dinosauria: Hylaeosaurus

The 2020 Gold Proof 50p Coin - Dinosauria: Hylaeosaurus

The third coin in the Royal Mint's Dinosauria Collection is Hylaeosaurus. This is the 22 Carat Gold Proof version.

The Gold Proof has a maximum mintage of 360, with 350 available as the Limited Edition product. These coins are available (subject to stock) from the Royal Mint Shop (product code UK20HLGP).

After his success with the Iguanodon and his 1827 book called 'Illustrations of the Geology of Sussex', Dr Gideon Mantell continued his research into the fossil remains of what became known as dinosaurs. In 1932 in a quarry in West Sussex, Mantell discovered Hylaeosaurus, a creature from the Early Cretaceous period some 136 million years ago.

However, all was not well. Mantell was a medical doctor but his practice had deteriorated. He still had not convinced everyone that his findings were of this new family of huge creatures, and after struggling with lack of money had to sell his entire collection to the British Museum for £4,000.

While at its new home at the Museum, the anatomist Richard Owen was able to study the objects in depth and although he had publicly doubted Mantell now realised that these remains were of dinosaurs. Owen was a controversial, if not brilliant figure, but his influence validated the existence of dinosaurs.

Owen took much of the credit that Mantell probably deserved at the time although we know now that Gideon Mantell was paramount in discovering and identifying dinosaurs. Mantell went back to being a doctor in South London and sadly had several misfortunes in his later life. He died in 1852.

The Reverse, by Robert Nicholls, shows an image of the Hylaeosaurus.

The Obverse shows a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Jody Clark.

The coin is available as BU, colour BU, silver proof, colour silver proof and gold proof. The coins are available individually or as a set.

Image credit: The Royal Mint

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